Population Health and Health Information Technology

HTM520, National UniversityKathleen Sullivan, July 2012

Introduction• Health IT has potential to dramatically

improve health of populations.

• EMRs and HIEs have focused on individual patients or limited episodes of care of patient groups

• Public health agencies, ACOs, payers should be included

Definitions

• Public Health

• Population Health

• Population Medicine

Introduction

Source: University of Wisconsin, Population Health Sciences

Benefits and Examples – Public Health Achievements

Benefits of IT: Population Medicine

EMR/PHR is building block• Improved information about chronic

and infectious disease

• Earlier detection of infectious disease outbreaks

• Improved tracking of chronic disease management and education

Benefits of HIE: Population Health

• Improved assessments of disease burden in

community, or of the impact of community-wide prevention initiatives

• Ability to promptly route and deliver to community clinicians emergent information from public health

• Assist cross-jurisdictional collaboration on data

collection and sharing

• Improved coordination of care across public and private providers

MU and Population HealthMeaningful Use - Using certified EHR technology to

• Improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities

• Engage patients and families in their health care

• Improve care coordination

• Improve population and public health

• All the while maintaining privacy and security

MU and Population HealthPhase 1 - Must choose at least one: • Submit data to Immunization

Registries (P, H)

• Submit reportable lab results (H)

• Submit syndromic surveillance data (H, P)

MU and Population HealthPhase 2

• Phase 1 From “Menu” to “Core”

• Report to cancer registry (P)

• Or other specialized registry (P)

HIEs and Population Health • Key player in standards development

and harmonization

• Involved with HL7 & IHE • HITSP and S&I Framework

Organizations and Standards

• CDC

PHSIPO – PH Surveillance and Informatics Program OfficePHIN – PH Information Network

• PHDSC

• PHII

Challenges• Funding

• Standards still developing

• Public health may not be ready

• HIE technology may not be ready

Momentum and Future• Growth of HIEs

• Social Media

• Mobile Apps

• Globalization

Wireless and Population HealthUCSD Multidisciplinary Research Center